OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – Charges against an Oil City man accused of encouraging a victim to exchange a sex act for money, then giving the victim a counterfeit bill for payment were held for court this week.

According to court documents, during a preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish on Wednesday, July 11, the following charges against 22-year-old Eric Francis Beichner, of Oil City, were held for court:

The case has been transferred to the Venango County Court of Common Pleas.

Beichner remains lodged in the Venango County Jail on $25,000.00 monetary bail.

Details of the case:

According to a criminal complaint, during the course of an investigation into another case involving Eric Beichner, officers received information that Beichner had passed counterfeit money at various locations in the Oil City area between November of 2017 and December of 2017.

On Wednesday, June 13, an interview with known individuals was conducted at the Oil City Police Department with both Chief Wenner and Patrolman Deloe present.

According to the complaint, during the interview, the known individuals stated that Beichner had been in possession of counterfeit $100.00 bills during the winter of 2017. The individuals stated they were aware that Beichner got caught passing one of the counterfeit bills at the Family Dollar in the Oil City area.

The known individuals further stated that Beichner received a sexual act from another known individual in exchange for $100.00, and Beichner gave the victim a counterfeit $100.00 bill after completing the act. The victim was not aware that the bill was counterfeit.

On Thursday, June 14, Chief Wenner and Patrolman Deloe conducted an interview with an employee at the Family Dollar who had made a report on December 12, 2017, of an unknown male passing a counterfeit $100.00 and then running out of the store when police were notified. The employee was able to identify Beichner from a photo lineup as the man who passed the fake bill in December.

On Monday, June 25, Chief Wenner and Officer Culp conducted an interview with a person identified as being the individual who received a counterfeit bill from Beichner in exchange for a sexual act. The individual admitted to committing a sex act with Beichner in exchange for $100.00 after Beichner initiated a conversation with the victim, knowing the victim was in need of money for bills.

According to the complaint, the victim told police that Beichner continued the conversation, encouraging the victim to commit the sex act.

The victim admitted to committing the act for the sole purpose of receiving money to pay bills, though the victim had never exchanged payment for a sex act before or since this incident.